Can't find duplicate email in database

[Gudy74]

I have a contact whose email address is incorrect.  When I try to update it, I get this message: 

'This email address already belongs to a contact in your database.'

The problem is, I cannot find the email address anywhere in HubSpot.  I have searched through the contact's history, and it was never used there, and nothing pulls up when I search the contacts list as a whole.  I've tried looking at the restore options to see if it has been used at some point then deleted, but it's not there either.  What am I missing?  Thank you!

[franksteiner79 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Gudy74 

To the best of my knowledge this might be due contacts being able to have additional emails, but these emails are not searchable from within the UX. When you search for the email that is allegedly in the system, do any contacts get suggested? Or does the search come up empty?

I just did a test in my demo portal, added a random email to an existing contact.

This still returns/suggests the right contact.

Alternatively, have you tried creating a new contact from scratch with the email that HubSpot is telling you already exists? This actually also tells you which contact already has that email:

Let me know if that gets you somewhere.

Frank

[Gudy74]

Thank you both!!!  Creating a contact is exactly what I needed to do.  I tried that, and sure enough, the duplicate email address was an 'additional email' under another contact.  Seriously, thank you.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @Gudy74,

Can you try creating a new contact with that email address? Once you enter the email address, HubSpot should point out to you the already existing record.

If that doesn't work, you can export all contacts on the contact index page, choosing to also include additional email addresses. You can then find the contact in the Excel file, look up the record ID and thus find the record in your CRM.

Best regards!

[franksteiner79 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Gudy74 

To the best of my knowledge this might be due contacts being able to have additional emails, but these emails are not searchable from within the UX. When you search for the email that is allegedly in the system, do any contacts get suggested? Or does the search come up empty?

I just did a test in my demo portal, added a random email to an existing contact.

This still returns/suggests the right contact.

Alternatively, have you tried creating a new contact from scratch with the email that HubSpot is telling you already exists? This actually also tells you which contact already has that email:

Let me know if that gets you somewhere.

Frank